Missouri Neighbors

Al and Pat Chapman’s farm is nestled in a valley outside of Anderson, Mo. Pat said, “When Al’s grandfather first drove on this land over 100 years ago, he was eye-to-eye with a walnut tree that now towers over the house and protectively shades it during the hot summer months.” The original Chapman homestead was 80 acres but divided during the Depression by a WPA project road. Later the acreage was expanded to 120 as Al grew up. When Al took over the farm, he added more acreage until now the Chapman farm is 340 acres and home to a commercial cattle herd.

Nestled in the Southwestern corner of Texas County lives a family of more than one generation that is much like all the rest of us in some aspects, but is also different in some very important ways. Bob and Sherry Reed and their daughters along with Bob’s father, Lyle Reed, all work together with many other people to make a living from the land.